The Destiny Stone

by Snowsilver

A sequel to 'An Act to Follow.' What if the Heroes of Time were forgotten? New Chapter - A long awaited battle, the return of Evil's Bane - and a foreshadowing of tragedy.

18. Chapter 17: The Fairy Spell

"The Destiny Stone"

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda or any characters, places, or events thereof, so there! Of the original characters, I came up with Timbre, Kat, Aka, Benz, Vulcan and some various bit characters here and there. Sond owns most of the rest. Thanks Sond! Rej is © FogFrontier, now go read The Kindred, King of Pawns, and Grifter and Snatch!

*****

Author's Note: Well, Spring Break's over. Back to the grind. So again, I apologize for the lack in updating. The whole staying in good grade-point average' is a bit of an influence. So the better I do at school, the better timing I'll have. As for the chapter's titlesome might recognize the next old-skool Zelda reference (what's that, 3 now?)for the restyou'll see.

*****

"The Destiny Stone" — Chapter 17: The Fairy Spell

Epona grazed sedately, tethered in front of Impa's house as Sond was invited indoors. At the moment, their little group included Sond, Impa, Kat, Benz, Aka, and Vulcan, all of whom were currently clustered in the Sheikah woman's cozy living room. Vulcan held the shards of the Master Sword, slung gently across his knees on a black velvet cloth.

Sond ran a careful finger along the hilt and nodded. "Yes, that is — or was — the Sword of Evil's Bane. Link wielded that once."

Vulcan raised an eyebrow. "But when he brought it to me, it was broken. He said he found it that way. How could he have?"

"It's a long story," Sond said. "But that's not important"

Kat was sitting down, and staring very hard at her feet. "A lot of this is kind of hard to take in"

Sond glanced over at her friend, concern in her eyes. "I wish there were some way to make everyone rememberbut I'm not even sure how I managed to break out of it"

Impa waved the subject away carefully; as the discussion had already gone in circles long enough to make her dizzy. "There's time for this later. What concerns me right now is Chiron and his Poes."

"If only Link were back with that missing piece," Sond said, chewing her lip.

"The point is, he isn't," Impa said sternly. "We cannot just sit around, waiting for a saviorthose most likely to be helped are those who help themselves, after all."

Aka and Benz felt a little intimidated by all the larger people, so both sat back and listened intently. The two fairies, Dink and Cyrus, often alighted upon the brim of Aka's hat.

"Well, we've got a good supply of Deku Nuts," Kat offered. "If anything else we'll be able to defend ourselves."

"How long will the barrier last?" Sond asked suddenly, thinking of the Deku Sprout and Kokiri Forest.

"Practically indefinitely," Impa said. "Unless someone came along who was powerful enough to blast though it."

It didn't need to be said whom Impa meant when she said this, though that question was currently on everyone's minds.

What if Ganondorf showed up?

Sond plucked at her bowstring, and it twanged like the deadly weapon it was. "Well, I for one aren't about to be caught idling."

"Uh-oh," Cyrus said, looking downcast.

"What?" Kat looked quizzical.

The blue fairy sighed delicately. "It sounds like she's got a plan."

*****

Echoes abounded in the underground tunnels; though not all of those echoes belonged to the small group of refugees. Sudden drips of subterranean aquifers into underground streams often caused everyone to jump. Link strode forward at the lead, his sword ready for anything disagreeable that might challenge them. Though so far, the only foreboding thing was the darkness in front of them all, which even the lights from their fairies could not totally chase away.

"Which way?" Link turned towards Pamela's father, who held the map. They had halted at an intersection of tunnels briefly.

"Humm, depends"

"On what?"

Pamela's father scratched his head. "Well, this tunnel might lead to the surface, or just get us further lost"

Link tapped his boot impatiently. "Do we have a choice?"

"Uh, not really" the scribe laughed nervously. "Funny thing, that"

Further back, everybody had sat down, taking a quiet rest. In the very back, Kafei was being reintroduced to Nick, who'd finally seemed to recover from his day. However, much for what Nick had to say was filling Kafei with skepticism.

"So, you're saying there used to be-"

"Eigh' o' us," Nick grinned. "Ain' tha' righ', lobo?"

Timbre, who sat nearby trying not to think about how hungry he was, nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I know it's hard to believe-"

"Hard?!" Kafei looked indignant. "I'll say! You can't expect me to believe that when I was ten years old I traipsed th' countryside with you all, and saved the world to boot!"

"I don't expect you to believe it," Timbre said quietly. "But it is true. You just don't remember it."

Kafei raised his eyes heavenward. "Sometimes I don't know what to believe anymore," he muttered, as Daray tottered over to them, goggles pulled over his eyes. It made him resemble some ancient cave-dwelling creature, with the goggles looking all the world like huge, glassy, reflective pupils.

"H'lo," he said, wedging himself a seat between Kafei and Nick and peering about him intently. "What're you talking about?"

"Eh," Nick shrugged. "Stuff, tain' impor'ant though. No' righ' now, anyway."

"Yeah, what's more important is that we get out of danger," Kafei remarked. "If your warning is true, then we can be expected t'be followed-"

Timbre jerked suddenly, as if he'd been stung, the Destiny Stone dancing on its chain from the inertia.

"Wuh?" Nick looked confused. "S'up wi you?

Timbre stared down the darkened passage, over his shoulder. "Thought I heard echoesAnd not drips of waterthis sounds more like"

All of their conversation died down as they turned their ears towards the sound.

Kafei bit his lip and swallowed a swear word. After all, his nephew was in hearing range. Instead, he decided to put his voice to more productive use. "Uh, guys?" He called up towards the front.

"Yeah, what?" came back the irate reply.

"Can you hurry it up? There's Goriya following us."

Link's voice became almost shrill. "What?"

"What he said," Timbre hissed back up the line. "And stow the gab. They don't have pointed ears for nothing-"

Pamela, becoming impatient, rocked from one foot to the other. "Dad, which way is it? We gotta go now!"

Her father fumbled, looking flustered. "II don't knowif we head to the surfacewe might just meet more Goriya, you know"

"Now he tells us," one of the Bombers grumbled.

"I' only there w'a a way t'see where th' tunnel went b'forehand," Nick said. "Y'know, clairvoyance"

Timbre perked. "How bout I ask the Destiny Stone?"

The Keaton, draped across Jim's shoulders like a living stole, stirred drowsily. "Don't bother" The fox jumped from its perch, stretched like a feline, and then looked at all the expectant beings who were now staring intently at him. "What?"

Kafei rolled his eyes. The Keaton could sometimes be very aggravating. "We're kind of in a hurry here" This last statement was pontificated by a sudden echoing wail from down the tunnel they'd just traversed.

"Oh, them" The Keaton smirked as well as a fox could. "I didn't mean to startle you. I just have an answer to our problems, that's all." The fox slid past Pamela's father, and sat beside Daray, tails a twitch. "Tell me Daray, what do you see right now?"

The boy glanced about him, goggles glinting in the faint fairy-provided light. "WellI see everyone, but mostly you, the fairies, and that shiny stone around Timbre's neck. Why?"

The Keaton nodded, much to everyone's surprise.

"Um" Jim looked slightly nervous. "How's this going to help?"

The Keaton ignored them. "Tell me Daray, which passageway is the brightest to you?"

Daray stood, and turned a slow pivot, one small finger pointing outwards. Finally, his arm steadied towards a tiny offshoot tunnel, barely wide enough to be recognizable. "That one."

"Alright," the ghost fox looked at everyone. "That's where we're headed."

"What?" Pamela's father looked alarmed. "Don't you think it's a little small?"

Kafei shook his head. "If the Keaton says that's the way to go, I'm ready to trust him. Anything to keep us going, right?"

There was a murmured assent as the group moved towards the small offshoot tunnel. The tunnel's ceiling was so low that adults had to stoop to enter, and Timbre grunted in pain when his forehead accidentally collided with a low stalactite. In front, Link snickered.

"Not used to being so tall yet, Timbe?"

"Aww, shut it, Link," Timbre growled back, rubbing his forehead with a grimace. Then, his eyebrows unfurrowed as he ran a finger across the rock. "Something's very reflective in the stones, it's oddIs this mica?" His hands were now covered in a fine sparkly dust.

Tael, who threw everything into violet study as he approached, shook his head. "No, I think this is silver ore. I guess the Ikanans were sitting on a veritable mine of wealthlook, this vein of rock runs pretty deep."

Timbre winced. So much for changing form. At least until he'd had a proper bath, anyway.

There was a kind of smell that permeated through the stones of the small tunnel, and everyone slipped from time to time on slick growths of algae that irregularly patched the surface of the ground. The silver dust, although fine, had the nasty habit of coming off its surface at the slightest touch, meaning that the entire group was soon coated in the stuff from head to foot.

"Innit' a bi' damp ere?" Nick remarked, blinking to keep his eyes clear. "Coul' be dang'rous, water tends t' weaken stone an' crack it"

The Keaton walked on with Daray at his side. From time to time, the fox would consult the young boy about what he saw. According to Daray, the tunnel was growing brighter,' but to everyone else, it seemed just as dark as before.

Finally Kafei spoke up. "What do you mean, brighter?"

Daray shrugged. "Jus' that. It's brighter. Can't you see it?"

Kafei shook his head. "No."

"That's because you're not wearing the goggles," the Keaton pointed out. "How do you think Boss Blind found our original hideout? He used the goggles."

"But-"

"I'll explain. Daray's goggles are made of a very special material. With them, he is able to sense things that are hidden, and more importantly, magical fluxes."

"Alright," Link said slowly. "So what Daray's seeing is-"

"Magic, yes. Things that are very magical in nature appear very bright to him. Thus he is drawn towards the fairies, your Stone, and myself, for we happen to be very magical in nature."

"How's that help us get out of here, though?" Link looked exasperated.

"If I'm not too mistaken, there is a Great Fairy's fountain within the catacombs of Ikana's caves. With any luck, the tunnels in which the magical collects most will be, or connect to a direct route that leads to the fountain."

"Well, I suppose that will work," Link admitted.

"How's th' Grea' Fairy gon' elp us out, though?" Nick scratched his head.

"Ow!" Timbre yelped as he hit another stalactite.

"She'll be able to help us," was all that the Keaton would say. "But we must make haste. The Goriya are still following us by sound and by scent."

The small tunnel slowly widened, and finally opened up into a huge cave. The group stumbled out into the more open area, the shrieks and echoes of the pursuing monsters still ringing in their ears.

"They sound closer than they were before," Pamela remarked. "At this rate they'll catch us before we get anywhere!"

"Don't waste time on despair," the ghost fox reassured them. "Which way, Daray?"

"Umm" the boy chewed his lip and pointed. "There's two ways-"

"Either will do!" Link said hurriedly. "Take the closest one!"

Daray nodded and headed towards a medium-sized tunnel that gaped, looking all the world like a dragon's head, the mouth of the beast serving as the cave entrance. As Link approached, he tried not to feel like he was about to be swallowed by a giant lizard. Volvagia had been bad enough, after all. And even worse-

"Heh, reminds me of Ty," Timbre said from behind him. Link winced.

He was about to make some reply when hoots and hollers told him that the Goriya had managed to catch up with them. Link turned back and waved Daray, Pamela, her father, and the Bombers though the tunnel.

"Go on ahead, we'll catch up!"

The three fairies hung back, confused about which group to stay with. After a moment's hesitation, they seemed to come to some quiet agreement amongst themselves, and Keeto buzzed off quickly after the refugees, leaving Tatl and Tael to shed light with Link and the others.

Even as he headed back to his friends, the cave began to literally seethe with the tiny monsters. The Goriya just seemed to keep coming from tunnel, as if nothing more than water flowing from a spring thaw. There were now far more Goriya in front of them than they'd yet encountered anywhere, all milling about, chattering loud cries as they oriented themselves on their quarry. The blonde Hylian gritted his teeth, hissing through them in slight alarm. This was almost too much for their group to handle. From the looks playing off of his friends' faces, similar thoughts were going through their minds as well.

Link grinned recklessly at his friends, his throbbing Triforce-marked hand on his sword hilt as he readied his shield. "We ready for this?"

"Of course!" Kafei smirked and cracked his knuckles.

"Yea!" Nick twirled his dirk in one hand. "Ready when y'are"

Timbre drew his sword, accidentally dropped it with a loud clatter, and stooped to retrieve it, looking sheepish. "Guess we don't have a choice, eh?" After a second's thought, he offered his sword to Kafei. "Here, you're better at this than I am"

Link fidgeted. "Uh, Timbe?"

"What?"

"What about you?"

"I can bite-"

"Not in here, remember? The silver-"

As he spoke, Link fumbled for a weapon to offer his friend. Impulsively, all he could come up with was the magical metal boomerang. Although lack to part ways with it, he tossed it behind him, slightly to the left towards the sound of Timbre's voice. "Take care of it, huh?"

"Sure thing." Timbre caught the proffered weapon. If anything, he could at least bludgeon enemies with it.

"Right then. Charge!" Link roared. Seconds before he and his friends could rush their pursuers, something even more startling happened, stopping even the wild Goriya in their tracks.

A huge rumbling earthquake shook the cavern, throwing everyone off their balance with cries of fright. Nick's eyes widened as chips of rock from the ceiling rained down on them. "Wha' th' eck's goin' on?"

Timbre groaned, having hit his head for the third time in an hour. "I hate to say this, but I think that was just the start of a cave in"

"Um, judging from the way the ceiling's literally sinking in, I'd second that notion," Kafei remarked, feeling casual despite the increasingly mortal peril of the situation.

The Goriya were now muttering amongst themselves, turning their beady yellow eyes fearfully upwards. Ears peeled backwards as the squeaking rat-like creatures fought against each other to surge back they way they'd come. But it was already too late to run.

As if cued and carefully practiced in irony, the whole ceiling suddenly came apart with a dull rumble of earth, jutting rock, and soil. Pandemonium ensued as everyone panicked, the rough cries of the friends intermixing with the high-pitched shrieks of the Goriya and the jingling of the two remaining fairies. Despite the amount of voices contributing to such a cacophony, the steady roar of earthquakes, rockslides, and falling stone easily drowned out any screams or cries for help they could make as all were helplessly caught in the cave-in.

*****

Far above the grounds and tunnels of Ikana, Koume and Kotake giggled like naughty children as underground rumbles and shifts told the sisters their plan was working. The blizzard, which was still blowing its relentless course about them, did not seem to dampen even the fiery Koume's glee.

"Thissss isss an excellent idea, sssissster," the Ice Witch remarked, concentrating her powers on re-freezing the water that was now seeping into Ikana's cave systems.

"Finally you acknowledge my superiority, sister," Koume remarked, as she busied herself melting all the snow in Ikana Canyon, even as it still fell. "Without my fire, this maneuver would have been quite impossible."

"But you forget, without me there would be no one to freeze the water again," Kotake pointed out. "Either way, we've sssurely dessstroyed them, yessss?"

Koume agreed. "Yes, though I do wish we'd thought of causing a cave-in before we sent all those Goriya in"

Kotake smirked. "Are we ssshowing pity in our old age?"

The Fire Witch scowled. "Not on your life!" Several nearby snowy bushes caught on fire as her temper suddenly flared and her careful slow warming of the valley's ground became a rather quick roasting. The moans of Redeads caught in the unfortunate blaze only seemed to expediate the process. "Hah! Take that, Ikana! I can make the snow melt faster than you can freeze it, sister."

"Oh? I disssagree" Kotake squinted and the Valley's trickling waterfalls instantly froze in mid-flow, twinkling like so many ice sculptures within a deluge of flakes.

"Oh yeah, well beat this!" The waterfalls thawed and flowed again in an instant, some of the nearby snow vaporizing into hot steam before it could even hit the ground.

"Oh, it isss ssso on, now!" Kotake scowled and redoubled her efforts. Both sisters glared at the Valley below, their contest alternately freezing and baking the landscape in an exercise that was most likely very unhealthy for the Canyon's natural environment.

Below, the results were even more disastrous.

*****

Choking dust flew everywhere, through the large cavern now resembled a dark tomb more than a simple large cave. Hundreds of Goriya bodies were crushed under literally tons of stone, an effective marker for a mass grave. Those who hadn't been crushed had been impaled on juts of jagged rocks. The others had clawed their way through the ranks, killing their own in a desperate attempt to escape. But all for naught. Besides the odd shift of rock, nothing seemed to move for several minutes.

Then Link groaned.

"Remind me to never go underground ever again," he remarked to nobody in particular, struggling to pry himself from a pile of rocks. His shield had taken the brunt of the assault of the cave-in, which meant it was practically bent double with dents. It didn't even resemble a shield anymore.

Well, better it than me, I suppose, he thought, straightening himself. It slid off him and clattered down the rock pile. Hissing through his teeth and calling upon every curse he could give voice to, Link managed to free both his arms. It wasn't a painless experience.

It was pitch black, and he couldn't see a thing, even if he strained his eyes. At the moment, he could barely even breathe, and he coughed several times as aggravating dust invaded his lungs. After several preliminary unsuccessful vocal tests, he managed to croak aloud a few words.

"Anybody alive out here?" The words bounced about like muffled billiards.

There was no answer, and Link swallowed a sob, as realization hit him like a dry brick. What if he'd been the sole survivor? He tried futilely to lever himself out of the debris, but it was impossible. He was soundly buried up to his waist in the rubble, and most likely trapped unless his leverage improved. Link's brow contorted. What if he were the only one left?

Peering around into the darkness, Link reflected on this, the panic rising like black bile in his throat. To be totally alone, lost without any means of lighting his way, and trapped induably within a half-mound of rubble, with nothing to do but wait to die-

"Somebody please be out there!" he yelled, his voice shaking with despair.

As if summoned by the Goddesses themselves, a weak golden light suddenly flickered by the corner of his left eye. Though dim, it flooded the cave with sudden flickers, reflecting off of foremica and silver dust like candle flames.

"Tatl?"

The fairy coughed, sounding like a squeak toy. After several worrying seconds, her light strengthened in brightness, and slowly made its way over towards him. The fairy alighted in the palms of his outstretched hands, her footfalls like tiny feather wisps upon his calloused skin. Relief coursed through him. Illuminated in the cupped palms of his hands, Link could now clearly see the cuts running down both his arms, which were just now beginning to sting with a vengeance.

"Ow," was all Link could say for a moment. "You okay, Tatl?"

"I think so." The fairy delicately stretched, checking her wings for signs of damage. "I'll survive. How bout you?"

Link actually grinned, remembering the last time he'd been involved in an underground accident. Tatl had asked him the same exact question, which cued him to the same exact response. "Just peachy, if you ignore the fact I'm cut and bruised and aching all over."

"Good." Tatl paused a moment. "Woah, deja-vu" She shook herself of the thought, however, as she turned towards the welfare of the others. "Anyone else out there alive? Tael? Anyone?"

Please

Link peered about him, his eyes aided somewhat with the fairy's light. "Looks like most of the really huge rocks fell on the side opposite of us, which could be lucky for us in two waysunlucky for those Goriya, though"

A sudden cough permeated the darkness, and Link found himself blinded temporarily as Tatl, the only one mobile enough to reach the survivor, sped away. After a few quiet seconds, she responded cheerfully.

"It's Kafei and the other guy, Nick. Hummstill unconscious, but they're both alive, thank the fates"

Link swallowed, his throat feeling coated. "Any sign of Timbre? Or Tael?"

"Not so farI'll keep looking though." Tatl busied herself between searches by reviving the other two, and soon Kafei was able to speak and Nick's eyelids began to flutter open.

"Wow, that was a bit of a rumble, huh?" Kafei sounded in good humor, though a lump of dull panic was already starting to rising in Link's throat. He was glad that Nick and Kafei were alright, but where in the world was Timbre?

"Timbe?" Link called out. "If you're alive, and you'd better be, yell something back, huh?"

His sensitive pointed ears practically quivered, but all he was rewarded with was the incoherent mumblings of the half-conscious Volcanian. Link's heart practically sunk in his chest. Timbre couldn't die. Not after all they'd been through, not after coming all this way-

His numb thoughts were temporarily jarred from his weary mind as a pair of hands suddenly seized his arms, attempting to yank him of the rubble. Slowly recognizing his rescuer as Kafei, Link stared blankly forward as he was agonizingly extricated from the rubble, the newly broken stones often jamming and scratching painfully into his legs.

"Hold up, you're almost out." Link didn't respond to Kafei's voice. He was vaguely aware of Tatl, nothing more than a blurry golden flicker flitting about the cavern, still searching for their missing comrades. When the blonde Hylian was finally pulled free, his knees automatically buckled, leaving him stunned on the uneven surface of the cave floor.

Come on, you'd be upset if one of us died

The words seemed to echo in his head, despite the fact nobody was speaking. Link's mind flashed backwards, recalling the comment Timbre had so seriously put forward in an attempt to explain the importance of friendship.

Makes me feel that much worse right now

"Timbre?" Link rasped finally, looking hopefully into the red eyes of the shadow Hylian.

Kafei's eyelids half-closed as he stared downwards, having no answer readily available. Tatl perched on Link's shoulder, trying to sound comforting. "I'm sorrywe looked everywhere, and there's just no sign of him- And Taelhe's gone too" The tiny fairy bit her lip, unable to continue.

"Don't give up yet, though" Kafei said. "He might just be knocked out"

The Hylian forced himself to swallow. Guess he was right. I'm so upset I'm not even making sense of any of this. It's like I'm waiting to wake up back in that cave under the Lost Woods or something-

Kafei looked about as he dug out his borrowed sword. "And at least we haven't found a bodyAnd the whole cave's been halved by that cave-in. You won't believe our luckmost of the heaviest stuff fell on the Goriya. Though it's a miracle we're still alive-"

As if possessed, Link suddenly jerked upright, scrambling through the gravel as he gained a second wind. He foundered, fell twice, rolled, and pulled himself up, head twisting madly back and forth. None of this can be rightLink closed his eyes as he tried to visualize the cavern before it had collapsed. Where had he been? Link vaguely turned towards the mass grave of Goriya. He'd been charging, and Timbre had been slightly behind, about a yard or two to the left-

Link turned in that direction, and was promptly greeted with a solid wall of fallen rock. It now blocked the cavern laterally, closing off one of the two tunnels that Daray had pointed out completely. Fortunately for them, the cave that had once resembled a dragon's mouth was still open, though its opening no longer resembled anything alive. But the area where he'd last seen his friend was completely buried in heavy rubble. The energy seemed to drain from the Hylian as quickly as it had come, and he fell down again, his face sullen and white.

WHAM. Link's fist pounded into the sharp gravel marking the wall, awakening half a dozen more cuts in the process. Link didn't care, though as he ranted at the solid wall in front of him. "Timbre, you'd better not be dead, for your own sake, cause if you are, I'll never forgive you!" Several hot tears splashed against the Hylian's fist. "We've dragged ourselves halfway across the world, step by painful step to find everyone and bring us all back togetherand now that we've gotten somewhere, you can't just drop out now, damn you" Link ground his teeth together. "What'll I tell Sond and Katand Tee?" he added miserably.

Kafei sighed, and a further away groan denoted Nick's slowly returning consciousness. The purple-haired youth stood awkwardly, not exactly sure what to say. Although he hadn't known any of his companions for very long, he too felt a lump in his chest. It was a kind of deep and old ache, as if he'd just realized an old friend had passed away without him realizing it.

Link's body nearly bent double as he found himself completely paralyzed by the aches that now ran from his chest, through his torso, across both shoulders and down his arms and legs. He wasn't sure whether this was the effect of pain, shock, or grief. Or maybe all three. None of thiscan be real. It just can't. Things aren't supposed to be this way!

He wasn't going to lose it here. Not now, not when he'd come so far

"No!" Blatant denial played across the Hylian's face as his lifted his head and yelled straight at the wall. As if in response to his yell, one of the looser stones suddenly fell with an echoing crack, rolling to a gentle halt at Link's knees. The Hylian stared and swallowed, turning a slightly wet face towards Kafei.

"Did you just do that?"

Kafei shook his head slowly.

Nick finally gathered his wits in time to see Link draw his sword and start digging feverishly at the wall. "UgghI fe' li' one uge bruisewot's ee up to?"

"Don't hurt yourself asking too many questions," Kafei murmured, taking a step back. "He's either on to something, or completely crazy."

The Hylian was completely oblivious to any talk as he dug doggedly away at the wall, appearing to make little to no progress, though he persisted.

Kafei shook his head. "It's no use, there's no way you're going to do any good dulling that sword on those stones-"

With a grunt, Link jammed his sword right though the rock wall, up to its hilt. And was miraculously rewarded for his efforts.

A very faint and familiar voice yelled Ow!' and the sword was forcibly pushed back through the wall, though the divot hole it had created remained intact. An irate green eye, eerily reflective in a purple glow stared back at him through the tomb.

"What'd you do that for?!" Timbre growled, from his side of the wall.

"Thank the fates you're not dead!" Link said, breathing a sigh of relief. All the anguish fell away in a cascade. "For a moment there, I thought you were a goner"

"Of course not, though you came near close to stabbing me in the gut just now. Phew! I gotta say, you guys had me worried for a second there. Thought me and Tael were the only ones who made it." Though Timbre tried to keep his voice nonchalant, it was shaking as much as Link's had minutes before.

It was suddenly Tatl's turn to sound joyous. "Tael!" she practically shrieked down the peephole, sending Link reeling with ringing ears. "Are you okay?"

"Fine and dandy," Tael replied duskily. "Though there's no way we can get through this wall nowwe're blocked off completely."

Link took a step back. All the worry that had plagued his mind only moments before had seemingly been replaced with inspiration. Glancing over at the tunnel the refugees had escaped down, he suddenly had an idea. "Heyis there any tunnels down your side that aren't blocked? How bout the other tunnel Daray pointed out? Is it open on your side?"

There was sounds of shuffling, then finally a reply. "Yeah, it's still open."

"Alright," Link said slowly. "You guys take that way, and we'll go through the other tunnel. Daray said they both had traces of magic, so hopefully they're interconnected somewhere down the line. We'll meet up again, hopefully at the Great Fairy's fountain. If nottry and make it back to the surface. We'll meet up again one way or another."

"Right. Oh by the wayI still have your boomerang."

Link swallowed. "Take care of it," he said.

"Of course. See you on the other sidehopefully."

"Yeah. Good luck"

*****

Two hours after leaving the site of the cave-in, Timbre was beginning to feel the effects of fatigue. Tael swerved constantly in front of him, shedding purple light in whose wake he could travel safely, without fear of tripping up or falling into a deep hole. However, the fairy did not know healing, and although Timbre hadn't been horribly wounded, all the small scratches and bruises he received during the avalanche had begun to work on his pain tolerance. Small aches combined with others to make what would have been a slightly uncomfortable trip one that was pricked with twinges and sharp pains. And to make things worse, he was hungry too.

He'd tried to take his mind off of his predicament. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was not to focus all one's thoughts on a problem at hand; otherwise it would begin to consume the mind, until there was nothing but panic left. So, while he walked, he told Tael everything that had happened so far since he'd awoken as an adult, if just to drone out his internal monologue.

"And now that's where we areow," Timbre said, stooping for a moment. "Hold up, Tael, I've got a rock in my boot."

"You gonna be alright, going all this way?" Tael's tiny brow furrowed, though it was nigh impossible to see. "You sure you can make it?"

"Do I really have a choice?" Timbre said, testing a wall with his fingertips before leaning back first against it. He then pried off one boot and shook it upside down to dislodge the offending pebble. "It isn't like I can turn around and go back out the way I came in, you know. I've got to either get out of here, or die trying."

Tael chewed his lip. "I think I'd choose the first."

Timbre put his boot back on and levered himself upright before his bruised joints stiffened. "Me too. Let's go."

The cave network seemed to stretch forever, with a slightly downward slope that made both of them feel very nervous. At every turn, the youth's hopes rose that this one would lead to the Great Fairy's fountain, but each times those hopes were quickly dimmed as Tael's light lit up yet another stretching tunnel. Timbre sighed, and glanced down at the glowing Destiny Stone.

"Does this lead the way to the Great Fairy's fountain?" he asked it curiously.

Timbre's heart sunk even lower as the Stone turned an apologetic red.

Tael squinted. "Does that mean no?"

Timbre nodded, biting his lip. His stomach churned, as he asked the inevitable follow-up question. "Well, tell me there is there some way out at least?" Timbre and Tael held their collective breath. If the Stone said no, then it would most certainly mean their doom.

It turned green.

"Phew!" Timbre's shoulders bowed with relief. "At least there's thatare we going the right way?"

The Stone agreed with a cheerful verdant hue. This was optimism enough to get Timbre his second wind. He continued on, despite his fatigue, Tael still leading his way. As he walked, he checked to make sure the magical boomerang was still safely stowed in one of his large pockets. It would be rather upsetting were he to lose it now.

"Hey." Tael interrupted suddenly.

"What's up?"

The fairy looked fidgety. "I'm sensing something really weird up ahead."

"Weird? What do you mean?"

"Like, magical weird. I don't usually sense magic like this."

Timbre blinked. "Is it safe?"

"I dunno."

Timbre sighed, and looked down at the Stone. "Is it safe to go on?"

The stone turned green.

Timbre started to walk on, but Tael held him back. "Hold it. You're going to go on the word of that rock? How do you know we can trust it that far?"

The youth shrugged. "Because. First of all, this Stone's been practically the only thing guiding me and Link onward since the get go. And it hasn't turned a wrong answer yet. Second we don't have anything to lose at the moment, do we? What happens if we stay here? We'll slowly starve to death. At least, I know I will."

"I would, too. Fairies don't need to eat as often, but still

"And if we don't starve to death, we'll certainly suffocate down here. So it's either this, orthe alternative. And didn't you just say earlier you'd take the first choice?"

Tael couldn't argue, though he hung back, riding pensively on Timbre's shoulder as the youth rounded the next bend.

This time, there was not an empty tunnel to greet them, but a wall. However, this wall was clearly not made of stone, but of swirling light, that constantly concaved and curled in on itself. Like dye spinning into butter, the wall patterns revolved in a counterclockwise direction. Although there was no credible light source, the shimmering wall glowed iridescent, its surface constantly changing colors.

Timbre stared for a good minute. "Um"

Tael fluttered his wings. "Yeah, like I said. Weird."

There was an audible thrumming, the timbre of which was akin to the gentle rumble of a great cat's growl, though not as intimidating. Although strange, the wall just seemed toexist, whether for good or ill, neither of them could discern.

"So" Timbre spoke. "what is it?"

"I dunno," Tael replied. "I get the weird feeling I've seen one before, though." Then the fairy blinked. "Hey, why don't you ask that rock thingy? It seems to know a lot."

Timbre looked down at the Destiny Stone. "I don't think it knows anything by accident," he said after a thoughtful pause. "It just seems to let us know what we ought to know."

"Either way," Tael insisted. "Ask it anyway."

"Okay. Stone, what is this?"

"Not the way in, though you'd never know,

The thing that only discovery could show."

"Feh, a load of help that is," Tael grumbled.

Timbre approached the wall tentatively. "Wellit did say not the way in,' which must meanit's the way out, right?"

Tael shrugged. "Don't look at me, I've never been good at puzzles like this."

The youth sighed. "WellLink has a saying for times like this: When in doubt, poke it.' Guess I'll take a leaf out of his book."

"Is that such a good idea?" Tael made a face and hung back.

"Probably not, but we don't really have any other options" Timbre stood about two feet from the wall, light playing across his face in playful patterns. He swallowed, then slowly raised his right hand to touch the flickering wall.

His fingertips tingled as they came in contact — and abruptly passed through, followed by his entire hand. Timbre gasped in alarm and quickly withdrew his hand, relieved to find it completely intact despite passing apparently just passing through a wall.

"Wait a second" Tael nervously approached. "That's not a wallthat's a portal!"

"Huh?"

"A portal! I've just never seen one from the open side before. It's a quick way of getting somewhere else in a hurry."

"Okay, so kind of like those transport songs- er, nevermind. But where does this thing go?"

Tael shrugged. "Guess there's only one way to find outcould be anywhere, you know. How's your hand feeling?"

"Fine," Timbre still stared at his hand for a second, as if unable to convince himself. "I'll ask the Stone a few more questions"

Tael shrugged.

"Is this a portal?" Timbre asked the Stone.

It turned green.

"Okaydoes it lead to somewhere we'd want to go?"

Very green Stone.

It couldn't possiblyit was just too much of a coincidence. Just where he needed to go back to. It just couldn't be, situated as it was in the very deepest stone innards of Ikana, in the most out-of-the-way area possible! Timbre swallowed, but his mouth felt dry. Might as well"It wouldn't just happen tolead to Hyrule, would it?"

green Stone.

Timbre whooped loudly, and hunkered as it echoed loudly in his ears. "Back to Hyrule, just the way I need to get!" He looked down at the boomerang. "And I can get back to Kakariko Village, and get this to Vulcan, and-" Timbre looked at Tael in wonderment. "This is crazy, you know."

"Yeah," agreed the fairy. "Someone up there must be looking out for you or somethingwell, whoever it isthank you!" Tael yelled at the ceiling.

"Well, we know it's safe, and that it leads to Hyrulewe just don't know where." Timbre chewed his lip. "I guess we'll have to worry about that afterwards, who knows how long before the next cave-in." Then he sighed. "I kind of wish we'd all gone down this way, we could have escaped together."

"But," Tael put in, "if you had, where would that have left Termina? What about Kafei's brother?"

Timbre nodded. Even as he spoke he'd known that it couldn't work out. "Wellwe're here, the portal's here, and the way back is completely blocked. So I guess our task is to head to Hyrule. If Link doesn't get back before I do, then he'll have the Master Sword waiting for him when he does arrive."

Tael nodded, and settled himself on Timbre's shoulder. "Ready when you are."

As he stood on the shimmering threshold of the spinning portal, Timbre took one last look at his gloomy surroundings, and decided he wouldn't be missing them too much. One last check to make sure he still had the boomerang, then he gathered himself up and jumped through.

*****

Meanwhile, Link and his companions had indeed found themselves at the Great Fairy's fountain. Link's first clue of course had been the huge, perfectly flat pool of water that stretched before him, a perfect dark circle. Although the cave's gloomy atmosphere penetrated even here, there was a luminescence that was somehow comforting, almost exuding from the very walls. A shaft of light seemed to beam down directly in the center of the fountain, and sparkling motes circled the illumination like a maypole.

Link's second clue to the fountain's origin was the fact that the Great Fairies had made an appearance.

"Wait a minute-" Link made a double take, and rubbed his eyes. "Therewhy are there two?"

As Kafei and Nick shrugged, the two Great Fairies, identical except for hair color, turned their heads towards them.

"Well well well, looks like your friends are back," said the green-haired one over her shoulder.

"Kafei? Link? Nick?" Pamela stepped out from behind an outcropping of stone that had rendered her completely hidden before, Keeto gently balanced upon her head like a tiara. "There you are! We heard this horrible sound behind us as we ran-"

"Kafei!!" Daray practically launched himself from behind Pamela's knees, running towards his uncle. "What happened?"

"There's been a cave-in," Kafei clarified, shying away at the entrance. Although technically inside, he was apparently quite wary of the radiance shining from the walls. "Everyone's okay, though" He half-grinned as he swept Daray into his arms. "You alright there?"

"I'm not hurt," Daray said from behind the goggles. "But I was worried bout you."

Pamela's father and Jim's heads poked from around the outcropping, followed by the rest of the Bombers. "How did you manage to escape? We've been discussing going back to find you for a while."

Nick smirked. "W're jus' lucky, I spose."

"Dumb lucky, more like it," Tatl mused from her perch on Link's head.

"Waitwasn't there one more? Where's the other guy, Timbre?" Pamela asked, squinting.

"Eryou mean he hasn't come back yet?" Link looked disappointed.

"No, there's just us, the Great Fairies, and that's it"

The second Great Fairy, who had blue hair, smiled warmly. "Come on in, we made cookies."

Link, Nick, and Tatl eagerly came forward, although Kafei was less enthusiastic. The green-haired Great Fairy looked over all of them. "Tsk tsk, you're all filthy, and bruised."

Link just shrugged. The Keaton, who had been silently conversing with the Fairies, nodded slowly towards him. Both Great Fairies turned their gazed upon the green-clad Hylian. Link swallowed awkwardly. "Uh"

"So you're the one," the blue Great Fairy said seriously.

"The what?" Link looked confused.

"You hold the Triforce of Courage," the green Fairy said, with a toss of her hair. "That sword you carry is not your own."

Link looked down at his borrowed sword. "Yeahthat's why I was here, you know."

"Evil's Bane is nearly complete." Then, as if changing the subject, the blue Fairy looked at Nick and Kafei in turn. "Stand forward, please."

Nick did so, although Kafei was still very nervous. As he stepped forward, his form began to waver and fade in the brilliance cast by the two floating entities. Feeling his grip on substance failing, he quickly set down his nephew with a quiet sound in the back of his throat.

The two Fairies closed their eyes, and millions of glowing motes surrounded the three of them, and although Kafei recognized it as a healing spell, he couldn't help but stiffen slightly as he faded away completely from the direct blast of light.

Fading away was never a pleasant experience for Kafei. It made him feel overly light-headed, and disconnected, to be nothing more than an intangible presence, even for a few moments. However, the healing spell was the work of a moment, and Kafei felt himself returning as quickly as he'd faded.

As the spell faded, Link realized that his numerous aches and pains had vanished. Not only that, he suddenly felt pleasantly refreshed, as if he'd just consumed a large meal and slept well. The Great Fairies might be a bitscary looking, he thought, but they certainly know magic.

Nick and Kafei looked similarly restored. Nobody would have guessed that they'd just come in from hours of spelunking. Kafei, however, wobbled as if dizzy. He sunk to the floor, looking slightly dazed. His form was still wavering on the transparent side. "Ugh, warn me before you blast me with light like that," he moaned, with Daray hovering nervously about him.

The blue Fairy looked down at him. "The Keaton told us of you," she said carefully. "You may be one who lives in the shadows, but that does not mean you cannot be healed like any other Hylian. We aren't about to let you pass though here all sore and trailworn. It's our job to help."

Pamela, nonplussed about the exchange, pushed a tray towards them, heaped with cookies. "Hope you like oatmeal," she said with a smirk.

The cookies seemed to calm everyone, and soon small-talk had faded to business, the Bombers and Pamela's father discussing their next movie in quiet voices. Most of their discussion seemed to revolve around means of getting into Clock Town via an underground route.

"You know, if only we could chart these tunnels out easier, there should be a way to Clock Town from here. I'm almost positive." Pamela's father smirked, tapping the chart with an index finger. "These tunnels spread out like a honeycomb, probably reaching all four of the compass points of Termina. From here we could make it to Woodfall, the ocean, Snowhead, practically anywhere. If only we had some Gorons, great at this sort of thing-"

While this discussion took place, Link and the others remained in front of Great Fairies, who still held audience.

"Now then," the Keaton said, curling his tails about him like a shawl, "Now that we're all here-"

"Most of us, anyway," Tatl interjected mournfully.

"Don't worry about your brother, Tatl. He and his friend have already begun their journey." The blue fairy smiled lazily.

"What?" Link looked perplexed. "What journey?"

"The journey back to Hyrule," the green Fairy answered. "That is where you're headed, right?"

"D-of course!" Link spluttered, wondering just how much these Fairies knew. "But how?"

"He so fortunately happened to stumble upon a portal that leads directly to his destination, in this case, in Hyrule." The blue fairy sighed. "This would seem like an amazing coincidence, were it not for your situation. Something powerful indeed guides the both of you, as the Keaton theorized."

The Destiny StoneLink chewed his lip. He was currently out of its aura, which apparently meant he'd have to find an alternate route of return. It's a pity that tunnel's caved in so completely. He shook his head and brought up another subject. "The Keaton saidyou'd be able to help us out somehowor me, anywaySince Timbe's gone already-"

"There is a way for you to return to Hyrule," said the blue Fairy. "It is a simple thing, really."

"You mean you can transport people across the oceans?"

"Not quite," said the blue Fairy, her smile fading. "Even two of us together would have trouble with transporting you such a long distance."

"But how, then?" Link bewailed. "The bay is frozen, Nick's boat is currently at sea, and I don't have any other means of travel!"

Nick nodded at the mention of his boat. "They'r off b'now," he said. "Though ee won' go far, jus' so th' icebergs dun' ole er."

Daray took another cookie. "Too bad y'can't fly there"

Kafei, who was starting to recover from his shock, noticed the conspiratorial glance between the Great Fairies, and knew they had a solution, though they seemed most unwilling to offer it.

"There is a way," the blue Fairy said slowly.

"Though it may require a sacrifice on your partbut only temporarily" the green Fairy said.

Link swallowed, not liking the sound of this at all. "what kind of sacrifice you talking about?"

The buoyant green Fairy spoke. "We can enable you to fly, but unfortunately, that would require the loss of your current form."

"What?!" This outburst caused everyone's head to turn towards Link.

"Only temporarily, of course," soothed the blue Fairy.

Tatl coughed delicately, as if trying to cover up a laugh. "You don't mean, the Fairy Spell?"

The blue Fairy nodded. "Assuming the form of a fairy would allow him to fly across the ocean, using the high warm currents. In such a way he could make it to Hyrule quite comfortably."

Tatl smirked. "Either way, it would be kind of funny-"

Link spluttered. "What? No! I could never agree to that! It's too undignified!"

Pamela smirked. "Hehthough a lot of people do dream of being able to flyunless you don't like flying-"

"It's not the flying that bothers me," Link said, sounding a little nastier than he'd intended. He peered between pinched fingers, "It's the whole little glowing bug' thing that bothers me!"

"Hey!" Tatl swooped down and bopped the Hylian on the nose. "Don't offend people like that! There happens to be two very powerful glowing bugs' right before you, offering you a way back to Hyrule. Think about it for a second, twerp. You're not gonna find an easier way back, in fact, this might just be the only way back. And you're refusing their help because you'll feel undignified? Is the only thing you can think about your self-respect?" She crossed her arms. "Not a very good attitude if you want to save the world, or whatever it is you're up to. Weren't you just carrying on an hour ago how it was unfair for you to have gone so far with the chance of things ending now? Well, things certainly are going to end now, otherwise. I'd think about that some before you go shooting your mouth off and offending others."

Link swallowed and looked about him. He thought he'd been done with dressings down, but he'd gone and shot his mouth out again. Locking eyes with everyone, he knew that everyone agreed with what Tatl said. With a sigh, he bowed his head.

"You're rightof course. I guess I should apologize." Link sighed. "I'll admit, I'm a bit nervous to just go at this alone-"

"But y'ain' gonna be lone," Nick said, grinning lopsidedly. "I'd come wi' ye. In fact, I will come wi' ye." Nick stepped forward. "We got' fin' all th' others, get us all ba' t'gether, righ'? An' if thi' i' th' way t'go, thentha' i' all there's to it. So, yeah, I'll be goin' wi."

The Hylian smiled. "Thanks."

Kafei fidgeted. "Something tells me I should go as wellas much as I should be staying here and helping my parents and the others from Clock Town to escape. Why is this?"

The Keaton was nodding sagely. "Because, it is as it should be. If Link's story is as true as I know it to be, you have a part to play in this as well, Kafeiyou were meant to go, just as you were meant to carry on despite your apparent demise."

Kafei frowned. "But still, my family-"

"Just go, already!" Pamela practically snapped. "What, you think we're just gonna sit down here, twiddling our thumbs while you three flutter off? No! Don't you see my Dad there, already plugging away at some idea to rescue everyone? Leave it to us. Besides, if you've got a part to play in this, saving the world in general will certainly help more than any one rescue mission, am I right?"

The shadow Hylian nodded, convinced of his purpose but still wary of other things. "Butwill the spell work on meI meanbecause I've been-"

"It will work," the blue Fairy assured him. "Are you ready?"

The trio looked at each other, nodded, and stepped forward. "Right. Let's go."

The blue and green Fairies' eyes oriented on Link. "We'll have to cast this one at a time, it's a bit complicated. So you're first, Link."

If Link was expecting a light show of the caliber of that during the healing spell, he was disappointed. In fact, for a moment it looked like nothing was happening. Then a swirl of the glowing dust motes encircled him and his head suddenly spun, his vision blurring as the whole world seemed to quickly collapse. He abruptly swallowed as a falling sensation made his stomach rise up though his chest and into his throat. Though unsettling, it felt a completely supported, if not awkward, drop, as if he were being carried downwards at a very fast pace.

The dizziness went away very quickly, though Link reeled on his feet as his vision slowly unblurred. Something huge loomed, and Link blearily reached for his sword. The first thing that cleared into his eyesight was a huge boot, with an attached leg that grew from it like a thick, flesh-colored tree trunk. Relaxing, he glanced down, wondering why his sword now hung at his side. As he stared around, he realized that there was practically a forest of legs surrounding him, moving slightly as their now-gigantic owners shifted their weights. One leg suddenly bent, and he saw a humongous red-haired head lower itself down towards him. It was Nick.

"Y'okay there, Link?" Nick's head fairly boomed, green eyes winking in the dim light.

"Yeah, fine," Link squeaked, then clapped his hands over his mouth. His adult voice, which he'd been growing rather fond of, had suddenly degenerated into a higher-pitched version of itself. I don't believe thisStaring down at himself, Link recognized his own arms and hands, though he was now aware of a greenish aura that seemed to cling to his skin. Or maybe his skin was actually glowing, it was hard to decide. Link swallowed. Tentatively reaching one hand behind him, he came in contact with something, and realized that the spell had indeed worked.

He turned his head backwards to get a better look at his newly grown wings. He'd never had an opportunity to see a fairy's wings so close before, but now that he could, he was able to see just how intricate they really were. Tiny little colorless veins ran along the gossamer planes, like the intricate traces of a leaf's surface. He flicked his right wing once, and immediately felt sensation of the wing's movement between his shoulder blades. In fact, just thinking about that made the wings twitch involuntarily once or twice. Link fidgeted, and looked back up, vaguely aware of the Great Fairies up above him saying something.

Moments later, Nick appeared, appearing full-sized to the now diminutive fairy Link. The Volcanian looked generally the same he as he had before, except for the wings of course, and the fact that he was now surrounded by an orange aura that seemed to reflect on his normal hair color. Nick examined his new form in very much the same way Link had, only he went as far as to tug on one of the wings now growing from his own shoulders.

"Ouch!" squeaked Nick, and promptly stopped prodding. "They're in ere good, huh?"

Link nodded in agreement, as Kafei seemed to drop out of the sky next to him. The shadow Hylian, firmly planted on his backside, extruded an aura that was so deeply violet to the point of almost being black light. The markings across Kafei's face practically glimmered as he picked himself up with as much dignity as he could manage. His own borrowed sword had shunk with him as well, hanging at his side. Taking only a single glance at himself and his aura, he smirked.

"A shadow that casts light. Who'd have thought?"

With an important whir of wings, Tatl and Keeto landed in front of the three, giving them all a bit of a start. For all Link was familiar with his fairy partner, he'd never seen her at an approximately equal height. If he'd squinted, he'd been able to see her face, but this was about it. Tatl appeared to be slightly older than the three of them, her spun golden hair braided back with the neatness that befitted her biting personality. She wore a dress that looked impossibly intricate, and appeared to be woven from miniscule threads of grass tendrils. The tips swirled about her ankles and feet, which were covered in tiny sandals. Keeto, with his almost red glow, was dressed in similar material, although his was woven into a tunic not unlike the one Hylian males often wore. His hair poked haphazardly from beneath a cap the fairy wore at a rakish angle.

Then Tatl smirked, and said in an amused voice, "Huh, it's not so bad now, is it?"

"Uh," was all Link could say for a moment, still letting current events sink in. Link suddenly realized why his sword had shifted positions, and he briefly felt fortunate he still had it to defend himself with. Despite this, Link couldn't help but think that the sword was now about the length of a toothpick, and probably about as effective a weapon. Keeto caught the look on the blonds face, and he chuckled quietly under his breath. As a rule, he didn't speak too often, though he wasn't afflicted with muteness in the extreme sense that Obol was, for he spoke now.

"A bit overwhelming, I'm sure."

"Yeah," Link told him. "I mean, I've never been quite thissmall before"

"It's not quite as bad when you're hovering, though," Keeto pointed out.

HoveringThe Hylian-turned-fairy coughed. "That's righthow the heck are we supposed to fly?"

Tatl took over. "Well, lucky for you, the Great Fairies have asked me to help you three out. Find your equilibrium, as it were. Then I'm gonna guide you three back to Hyrule via the skyway."

"Y'mean y'wouln' if they'd no' asked?" Nick looked quizzical.

The golden fairy shrugged. "Wellif it'll save the world, it can't hurt. And besides, I can meet up with my brother in Hyrule. Now thenif you're gonna get anywhere in those getups, we're going to have to get you three off the ground."

"Okay, how's that work, then?" Kafei said.

Tatl's eyes roved upwards, and she chewed on her lip. "Hummgood questionhow'd you explain it, Keeto?"

Keeto cleared his throat. "I think it's mostly a matter of instinctkind of like how you learn to balance yourself upright when you humans walk." He shrugged, not sure if this was helpful.

Tatl waved a hand. "Give it a try, anyhow. Just concentrate on the concept of up."

Their first flight was a bit rocky, but that was probably expected. Sensible Nick seemed the most inclined of the three to adjusting to his new form, and he took off almost immediately. He wobbled a bit before he let his own natural equilibrium stabilize. Seemingly hanging in midair, he called down to the others. "Jus' don' think about i' too much!" he suggested.

Link tried to take this advice. He shut his eyes and concentrated on nothing in particular. As he did so, his mind wandered about everything that had happened. Where were all the friends they'd still not found? Where was the boomerang now? Was it already on its way to Vulcan and the rest of the Master Sword?

With a jolt, Link felt the connection between him and the sword beckon. At the same instant, he felt his wings suddenly flutter madly, and his feet left the ground completely. His eyes snapped open in shock as he suddenly found himself turning loop the loops in midair, unable to control his wayward flight. "Wa!" Desperately, he tried to steady himself, only to realize with a cry of shock he couldn't even tell which way was up and which was down-

"Oof!" His panic was jolted from him with a whoosh of breath as he abruptly collided with something that looked like a tangle of very fine brown ropes. "What the-" he blinked in confusion, pulling at a rope,' only to find the ground shake violently.

"Ouch! What do you think you are doing?!" yelled an irritable voice.

Link laughed nervously, realizing with embarrassment that he'd landed in, and promptly tangled himself in Pamela's hair. "Sorry."

Several minutes later, after Kafei finally stopped tilting so much to the right when he flew, the three of them hovered quietly in front of the Great Fairies. Hovering was already becoming second thought, much like standing at ease, only in this case you were hanging some five or six feet above the ground.

"Well done," both Fairies said after they found their balance completely. "You have the means, now the rest is up to you."

Link nodded. "Our thanks. Er, I do have a question though-"

"You shall regain your true selves once you touch ground in Hyrule," the blue fairy answered before he could ask. "Go on now. There is a shaft high above us which shall guide you directly to the surface."

"But what about the storm?" Kafei murmured. "I mean, it was blizzarding horribly when we came down here-"

The green fairy smiled. "You will be flying much higher than the storm clouds," she said solemnly. "Tatl will guide you upwards, until you break through the storm's layer. Above it, the skies will be clear, and the thermal winds fast. Don't worry."

"One t'ing though, fore we leave," Nick interjected. "Gotta go tal' to m' crew, tell em not to wait up f'me after all." He looked almost glum. "Lanky's a good sailor, ee'll take care of er till I'm done."

"Fair enough." Kafei said. "I guess we'd better go."

"Hold up." Daray held out a hand, and Kafei landed on it without too much trouble. "Make sure y'don't get into trouble again," the little boy said, sniffling.

Kafei squeezed Daray's index finger in an improvised handshake. "Be brave for me, okay Daray?"

"Yep." The blind boy was smiling. "We're counting on you to save the world!"

"That's right," Jim interjected. "The sooner you fix things, the sooner Clock Town will be able to go back to normal. Until you're done though, we'll work on a way of getting everyone there to safety."

Kafei swallowed. "When you see my Mom and Dad againtell themtell them their youngest son sends his love. And tell my big brother that too"

There was not much more time for farewells, as the Keaton pointed out. "Go! The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll arrive, and the sooner you'll see each other again."

There was one last wave and shout of goodbye, then Link followed Tatl, rising up towards the shaft of light with a flicker of gossamer wings. Heh, too bad Timbe doesn't get to try this out, he thought. Then again, I don't think he'd be too keen on flying. Too solid for that kind of thing. The golden sunlight bathed him in a sudden warmth, and he glanced below him at Nick and Kafei. "How you two holding up?"

"Fine," Nick droned.

"Yeah" Kafei said in wonderment, staring at his hands which still were completely solid despite the direct sunlight falling on them. "This is the first time I've felt the sun in a long, long time. Too bad I'll be back to the shadows when we get to Hyrule."

"Well, you can at least enjoy it while it lasts," Link said kindly.

"Come on you guys, hurry it up, will ya?" Tatl said from somewhere above them, her skirts bunched in one hand so they wouldn't be caught on any outcroppings of stone.

Nothing much was spoken after this, as the three flew further up the shaft, and into the waiting blizzard.

*****

WHEW. That was a lot of stuff to cover. This is a mite larger than I usually write (like normal isn't a novel anyhow, heh) but then again, this is the work of several weeks. I'll admit, Spring Break was great, but this also meant a huge dearth of writing opportunity. Spending an entire week in Vermont with no computer or Internet access'll do that. So I apologize for going against my previous statement in updates. I'll update as often as I can without monopolizing school time (the Biology major has much work, yes) or making this story less than I think it should be. Well, now that I've chewed your ears completely offI'm off to write the next one! It should be interesting, to say the least. Let's just say that things are starting to finally come together. Woo! See ya next time!